The TTT

As I follow the Tour this year (and Jessi thinks that I may follow it too much) I am on the fence as to whether there is a rivalry between Contador and Lance, or if this is something that is being created by the media to stimulate interest. Regardless, it makes it fun to watch.

Say what you want to about Lance...he has brought life back to cycling and the Tour. Any company associated with the Tour, or cycling, would be an idiot to say that Lance has been bad for the sport. That also including his comeback.

I am an American, therefore I like it when Americans do well. Especially when we tend to be the blame for all the world's problems, and then asked to help fix the ones we are not connected to. That's a completely different rant.

A few points:

• If it wasn't for Lance, Contador would not have the amazing powerhouse team he has now. Many of those riders came on because of Lance. The only one missing is Chris Horner (TOTAL political move, the team would be stronger with Horner)
• Lance is not taking any money from the Team for his racing.
• Lance, in all that he says, supports Contador, but does not ever say that he (Lance) is not worthy of being the leader.
  
• Lance recently posted this regarding Contador, "And they might need to repair the pavement on the sections where Alberto was pulling. All in all, great day." - Lance Armstrong

The bigger question is does Contador support Lance in the same way? There is no doubt that Lance is a classier athlete both in the peloton as well as the media.

After TTT awards, it was Lance that stayed after and shook the hands of all the high officials on the podium. It was Lance that congratulated each and every member on the TTT squad after the TTT...except Contador since Contador went somewhere else after finishing.

Lance is a week younger than me...that gives me hope that just because I am 37, I can still accomplish great things.

The following pics from today's TTT. I think a lot of them tell a little story.


No matter how good you are, 2 pieces of toilet paper stuffed up your nose before a race is not a good look.

Still the center

We have seen this determined look before...I think it was around 1999-2005. I could be wrong.

A look of contentment and what's to come

Is this a picture of Lance or Contador :)

Who is the center, and who is holding the "prize?"

Ben Stiller...do you realy think that he was there to hand Fabian the yellow jersey? I think the thought was there would be someone else receiving it. Not to mention he is wearing a Livestrong bracelet.

As comfortable as they come

New Trek TT Bikes

Now I don't have really any specs on the bikes, but I have seen a lot of pics after seeing them in the Giro and the 1st stage of the Tour. So I thought I would try and get more pics and try to solve the mystery of this new gem.

Watching Lance's ride on the 4th of July in the Tour, I think I was watching his bike more than I was watching him, or the race. The Tour is where you see "what will be" in the future. From helmets, shoes, wheels, etc. So it's a bit of a debut of new stuff. Love the new stuff.


Looking at this bike it is obviously quite different from the current TTX. Starting at the front, I believe that Lance used the SRAM R2C (return to center) shift levers. These are slick and I would love to have a pair. The idea is that the lever stays in the forward position and you click up, or down, when you want to shift. The lever never points "down" or "up." It simply stays neutral creating what you would suspect to be a more aero position by allowing your hand position to stay forward.

I also noticed on Lance's ride on the 4th that he was using Zipp Vuka aero extensions for his aero bar. Probalby even the Zipp Shift that integrates the shift lever into the aeo bar. Kind of funny since Bontrager and Trek are pretty much married and did not produce a bar that would work for Lance.
In this picture you can also see that Contador is using a new handlebar design similar to the Zipp bars that allow the extension to be tightened with an external design. Seen here in an aluminum material/color where the aero extensions meet the base bar. If these are Bontrager bars, this is a very new design. Once which I appreciate because it allows you to stay flat on the baste bar.One of the newest designs on this bike, but not new to the industry, is the bayonet style fork. Obviously Felt started this a couple years ago on the '07 DA that cost aboiut $7200, and now it seems like a lot of manufactures are following suit. But I like how Trek designed this, and I would suspect that it is supported by wind tunnel tests as well. They took this one step further...

Internally routed has a whole new meaning. Cables around the stem, which would eventually be routed into the frame, have totally disappeared on the new frame...gone...non existent! Love that.

One of the privileges, or gifts, of riding for the TIMEX Multisport Team is that once a year we get to meet with all the sponsors of the team. Typically not "sales" people, rather the owners, designers, and engineers. It's pretty neat. Last year the engineers of the Trek TTX and the Madone came and met with us. As they were now looking to design a new TT bike they were wondering how they could make the best bike better. They were thinking of nutrition options, how they could do an internal hydration system, etc. Just ideas, things they thought we would have an interest in. As I was talking with them, I told them that I thought the bike is so aero right now it's incredible. But as you look at it form the front, the ONLY thing that sticks out is the front brake cable. Is there a way to "hide" that. Windtunnel tests show that "hiding" the brake behind the fork actually creates drag. Although some bike mfg do it because it looks like it would be more aero. But I suggested hiding the brake inside the fork and have the cable come down through the fork tube. It would be a mechanics nightmare, but would get the cable and the brake out of the wind. I believe Kyle Marcotte (TIMEX athlete as well) was a part of this conversation too. So, when I see this being implemented into the the new bikes, I smile. Not that we came up with this, but obviously other people in the engineering world thought the same, and made it happen.

The hidden front brake in the fork is amazing! This is a HUGE advancement and I would suspect that it cost a lot to design. But the bar has been raised, and we will now watch the other companies follow suit. Personally, I think this is one of the coolest improvements, that all the others improvements in the frame will be lost unfortunately. There have been a lot of changes to the, dare I say, 'old' TTX. But this one is as big as they come.


Look at the above shot of Contador in the TT. Where did the front brake caliper go? This bike looks like a track bike other than the brake levers (I think I just came up with the next design improvement :)) However, you can see that Contador's bike is not using the SRAM R2C shift levers.
So the front brake is gone...it would seem appropriate to hide the rear as well. And that is just what Trek did. This is also something that a few other bike companies have done. But Trek has just done it better. Most other bike companies simply bolt the rear brake near the bottom bracket. Not Trek. Look how this brake is in the same lines as the frame. The matching paint helps to hide it too, but look at the lines. So clean. I am not too sure what that block of black tape is. Maybe hiding something....
It looks to me as if the rear stay is larger too...beefier you might say. That might be a results of the smaller rear triangle...also probably hidden in the wind tunnel.

You can see in these last 2 pics that the rear triangle is smaller. Less material and less exposed to the wind. The above pic of the yellow frame you can see a little black hole, or cable, coming out of the non drive side of the rear stay. I am not too sure what that is, or what it is for. I can't see how it's for the rear brake, and I doubt it's for any electronic/powermeter. It's near where that block of black tape was on Contador's bike as well.
Looks like the seatpost is s similar design as the current TTX. Which is more of an internal compression design. Look how big the bottom bracket area is...similar design as the Madone utilizing a different BB design.

I am excited to see what they release to the public. Pretty exciting and definitely a bike that will truly raise the bar.

TIMEX and New York Giants

June 17, 2009

Middlebury, CT & East Rutherford, NJ – (June 17, 2009) Timex Group USA, Inc. announced today a unique partnership with the New York Giants that enables both brands the opportunity to collaborate on training solutions for athletes of all levels that participate in various sports across the world. This partnership grants TIMEX, one of the world’s largest watch companies, the naming rights for the Giants’ new training facility and corporate headquarters. The facility will be named the TIMEX Performance Center.

The 15-year partnership with the New York Giants is part of the company’s ongoing initiative to increase the awareness of its state-of-the-art sports and fashion products.

“I am excited that we have secured a partnership between two great American icons—Timex Group and the New York Giants—both with great families behind them” said Hans-Kristian Hoejsgaard, Timex Group President and Chief Executive Officer. “Like Timex Group, the Giants organization operates at the highest level. I have the greatest respect for what they have built and look forward to many years of collaboration.”

In addition to the naming rights, TIMEX, as the Official Performance Equipment of the New York Giants, will have its brand integrated into the Giants game day experience at Giants Stadium during the 2009 season and the Giants’ new stadium set to open in 2010. At the new stadium, Giants fans will see a TIMEX “Countdown to Kick-off Clock” on the video towers that encircle the perimeter of the facility. Additional branding programs include a major sponsorship with New York Giants Radio Network, Giants.com, the “Giants GameDay” television show on WNBC, and placement within the Giants’ health and fitness magazine, “Giants Health Monitor,” which is distributed in more than 10,000 doctors’ offices around the New York metro area.

“This is more than a marketing relationship,” said New York Giants President and Chief Executive Officer John Mara. “This is about achieving the highest possible performance for our organization and our team. We look forward to working with TIMEX and utilizing their digital technology in training our athletes. The positive results we achieve will be in part due to our use of TIMEX devices in our team’s training programs.”

"This exciting partnership brings together two iconic brands - TIMEX and the New York Giants—with a strong heritage, shared values, and a very loyal fan and customer base," said Adam Gurian, President, TIMEX. "Having the opportunity to display the TIMEX brand on-site at the new team facility and work closely with a first-class organization like the Giants makes this relationship a natural fit with tremendous potential to grow both our brands."

The TIMEX Performance Center will host the annual TIMEX Multisport Team Training Camp, which will create an opportunity to share insight amongst the most accomplished professional endurance athletes and professional football players / coaches and trainers. The TIMEX Multisport Team is comprised of a complementary mix of amateur and professional athletes from around the world who serve as brand ambassadors for TIMEX.

An advisory board, comprised of Giants medical and strength & conditioning personnel and TIMEX athletes and coaches, will also be formed. This new advisory board will meet quarterly to share insights, discuss the latest trends in athlete training, and provide input on new product development and review product usage and testing. The board will collectively publish articles and reports on training and conditioning techniques as well as various research studies to enhance consumer training programs.
“TIMEX is a trusted brand for all athletes in terms of training. They are nationally recognized for an outstanding assortment of products – from training instruments to men’s and women’s style watches,” added Steve Tisch, New York Giants Chairman and Executive Vice President. “It was important for us to find the right partner who shares our core principles and values. This partnership will enable our coaches and players the opportunity to utilize the best high-end training equipment throughout our offseason preparation and the NFL season.”

TIMEX’S presence in the fitness world has been evident for years via its partnership with the New York Road Runners in conjunction with the New York City Marathon, Ironman Triathlon event series and several worldwide marathon sponsorships. With a wide array of wellness and training timepieces priced at various levels, TIMEX has established a broad appeal to the millions of consumers who want to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

About TIMEX:

Timex Group designs, manufactures and markets innovative timepieces and jewelry globally. Founded in 1854, TIMEX is part of Timex Group, a privately-held company with numerous brands and over 5,000 employees worldwide. It is one of the largest watch makers in the world with companies and exclusive licenses worldwide.

About New York Giants:

A cornerstone franchise of the National Football League, the New York Football Giants began play in 1925. With seven (7) championships, including a victory over the 18-0 New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII at the conclusion of the 2007 season, and with more than 600 victories, the Giants are considered one of sports all-time great franchises. Headquartered at the TIMEX Performance Center in East Rutherford, NJ, the Giants enter their 85th season of play this fall.

You can see more about this at www.giants.com. Don't think I have not already thought that their new colors will be orange.

Blue Lake Triathlon...and a lot of pics

Today was our anniversary

Wow, what a great anniversary weekend Jessi and I had. Spending it with some of our friends and racing a triathlon. Pretty good if you like that kind of stuff I guess.

This weekend would find us on the outskirts of Portland at the very popular Blue Lake Triathlon on Sunday along with 1000 other people racing the Oly and sprint tris. We headed over on Friday after school. It should have been the last day of school, but thanks to those wonderful 5 snow days, we would be returning to school on Monday. So in the Excursion were Jessi, Emma, Steve, Tiffany, and Eric. This would be Eric’s first Oly race. So he was VERY excited about this often asking if maybe he could do the whole course just to make sure he was ready :).

Very nice dinner at a secret restaurant

Livin' it up at the Quality Inn

We stayed at a pretty decent place that had a continental breakfast. One that I never get to totally tear up. This one had all the fine fixins…donuts, waffles, dainishes…yum. Buuut, I would have to refrain and have more sensible breakfasts. But it’s fun to window shop.

Steve in his race, runnin' strong

Saturday was the Sprint race where Steve participated. He wanted to do the Oly race, but he would be racing IM Cda the following weekend and a 10k run takes a little out of the legs. So he decided to test his new bike on the Sprint course. He ended up rocking it and getting 7th overall and having a very solid race. It’s fun to watch friends race. Normally they are racing with you and you never get to see them or cheer them on. Steve has worked hard all season and I am excited to see how IM Cda goes for him.

On race morning Natalie, Eric, Tiffany and I loaded up the rig and headed to the course. Tric, Steve, and Emma would soon follow and make up the cheer squad.

Loaded in the Excursion race morning

Eric REALLY excited for his first Oly race

Tim, Eric, and Tiffany

Getting on the Helix in preparation for the swim

I knew the racks were numbered but wanted to get a decent spot. In all reality, most spots are decent. You don’t spend too much time there hopefully. After I racked my bike I unloaded all my stuff and went for a short run to get away from all the chaos and other peoples’ nerves that somehow impact me. I felt a little sluggish, but that always seems to be the case race morning. I feel like lounging around and just walking everywhere. I am in major slo-mo. I ran into some other Tri Fusion athletes…Matt and Jessie. Matt always has some random observation that are kinda funny and this would be a big race for Jessie. Tim was there too with his wife Andie and newborn Elise.

Andie and Elise...hardcore.

Jessie, Matt, Trisha, and Emma

I have raced this event for the past 3 years and have come to really enjoy the event. It is early enough to establish a baseline. I am not one for flat bike courses because it normally means that there will be a lot of drafting. But I have never really seen that to be a problem at Blue Lake. It does create a great opportunity to test some thresholds and compare from year to year. It has normally been a pretty fast course for me and I have had some good splits there on the bike. The run is flat too. But if you do too much work on the bike, it’s very easy to get run down, and I know I can get run down :)

A quick pre-race good luck kiss...we all need these

The race started at 8:00am in water that was about 71 degrees and air temp that was 60 with an overcast sky. Not too bad really. Would have like to see some rain, but you can’t have it all. In the elite wave, there were about 15 I think. We lined up and took off. I went out fairly hard, or quick, and got passed about 200 meters in by Matt Berg. Then I got passed by another guy and got on his feet. Only problem was his feet kept going from side to side in the lake, i.e. was not swimming straight. So I maintained my line and would catch up to him and then he would get away, then I would catch him again. We made the turn for the finish and as he drifted off course, I swam straight and was 2nd out of the water. I knew Matt was ahead, but I did not think by more than a minute. I saw him in T1 and caught up to him. He left transition about 4 seconds ahead, so I closed almost all of my deficit I had from the swim.

Heading out of T1

As I was putting my feet in my shoes on the bike, Matt went by and got back the 4 seconds that I got back at the mount line. I eventually caught him again and passed him about 1 mile into the bike. Then it was pretty much open road for 24 miles. Well, and a motorcycle. I locked into a steady effort that I felt I could maintain. At the last turnaround I took a split to 2nd (still Matt) and realized I had a pretty good gap, but I thought I would need more time. With about 9 miles to go, I picked it up a bit and pressed on to the finish. I ended up with one of my fastest 40k bike splits, and highest power output as well. I was pretty excited about that.

Coming into T2

Emma, my super cheer squad...the "BEST" cheerer out there hands down

I rolled into T2 and was greeted by many spectators cheering me on. I was really impressed. There must have been 100 people right ON the dismount line. I cruised in and threw on my K-Swiss K’onas and was off. I normally feel slow in the first mile and know that I just need to get settled in.

Heading out on the run

I could see the 5 that were behind me coming in and realized I have about 3:30 on 2nd, so that gave me a little breathing room. I ran to the turn and was feeling good. I felt like I got going from mile 3 to 4 when I saw my mile split I realized that the mile markers may be off because it was a little faster than I was running. But it really did not matter. At this point I had about 4 minutes on 2nd, and knew that I just needed to keep doing what I’m doing…nothing stupid. Just run my race. I saw the first woman on the way out and knew Jessi would be close behind. I cheered her on and she was looking good. I came into the final quarter mile and was pretty excited knowing that I would defend the number 1 I was wearing this time.

Running along the lake...nice and cool

After crossing the line, I grabbed a bottle of water and headed out on the course to cheer some friends on as well as Jessi. I saw Tiffany and ran with her for a mile or so and then ran a bit with Jessi on the way back. Tim was close to her so I was able to throw some cheers his way too. I ran with Jessi for about a mile before she took off down the last ¾ mile. I headed to the finish to see them all come in.

Post Race Winnings

It was my fastest true Oly race I have ever done. I was happy with all my splits. None of them were earth shattering…well, maybe the bike a little, but they were consistent and efforts that I “should” be able to replicate in future races. There was never a time I felt like I was racing out of my control. So that feels promising.

After the race, we hit the local Dairy Queen and then a Carl’s Jr. 3 hours down the road. Love post race food. We had a very eventful trip down there with some hilarious happenings. A few memorable moment were:

1. Tiffany imitating what it sounds like when doves cry and making this mournful pigeon sound
2. Dropping Steve off at the Medical Lake exit and told him he needed to ride the rest of the way home at 8:30pm (30 miles) on our way back to Spokane…and he did.
3. Having Eric read a 20 minute story off his phone that literally did not have a conclusion about a guy named Tucker Max.

Another amazing trip with great people. Races are a lot of fun, but they are even better when you share them with friends, on your anniversary, and end up setting a PR. That’s a good weekend.

Hope your weekends are great, and thanks for all of your cheers out there.

Moses Lake Triathlon

Some days thing go well, and some days they don’t. Then there are those days that things just “happen.” I think this day was one of those days that just happened.

Moses Lake…I am not too sure what this community is know for other than a quick stop on the way to Seattle at the Starbucks and fueling up at the local restaurants. By the way, Moses Lake has one of the best pizza joints called Chico’s. We have actually driven from Spokane (1.5 hrs) on multiple occasions for their pizza. But this weekend Moses Lake would be know for the triathlon being held there.

Since the race was on Saturday, we headed out after work Friday and picked up Steve en route. As usual, Jessi supplied us with some amazing eats for the trek. I am pretty fortunate to always have Jessi in my rig. She makes sure we are “honest” with what we eat since she only brings the right food, and enough food, to eat. I don’t know what Steve was planning on eating, but he did not have to worry since Jessi supplied it for him too.

We arrived in Moses Lake about 1 hour before packet pick up closed and then we headed to the race venue. It was a typical park on a smaller lake. The road surface/parking lot was pretty rough but you got the idea of the race day layout. Jessi went for a swim and Steve and I got out on the road for a ride. It was a warm afternoon with some wind so I thought it would be a good example of what the race conditions would be like. Moses Lake is know for being hot and dry and even a bit windy. I am fine with the windy part…not the hot and dry though. That beat me up pretty good at Onionman 2 weeks ago. Not a huge fan of that. After the ride, Jessi fueled us up some more and we were off to the hotel.

I always “ask” for a main floor room. But I don’t think I have ever received one. This time would not be an exception. Fortunately this hotel was all “non smoking.” Now, when we opened the door, I am guessing that they acquired the “non smoking” status the day prior because the room smelled like it was the only room they smoked in. I hate that, but you live with it. There were actually burn lines on the carpet and on the table tops. Classy. I am not going to say where we stayed because I don’t want to get emails from the Shiloh Inn, right off I90, about giving them negative press. That’s no fun. We got the bikes all dialed in and were ready for bed…after I made a quick walk to the local gas n’ sip for some fig newtons. I just needed to top off my belly.

We got up about 5:15am and had a nice sit-down breakfast in our “non smoking” room, and then were off to the race site. But before we could get on the road, we needed to stop by Starbucks per Jessi’s request. More of a ritual thing I think. Since the race site was 2 miles away, I figured we had time. Supposedly the transition area did not open until 1 hour before the race. But when we got there we still set our transition area in the designated spots. We were the first 3 bikes there. Love that. One of the coolest things was seeing all the Tri Fusion members there racing. I think there were over 20 in all. Though it does not speed things up in transition, it’s nice to chat with people and know that you have a lot of peeps out there.
The TTX was all set up and ready to roll. Now the only thing to do was to get on my Helix. Once that starts going on, I think my heart rate automatically elevates. Not too sure if that is because of the work it always seems to take getting on wetsuits, or if it is a signal to my body that it’s about “go time.” I meandered down to the start, swam a little, and then lined up. Since there were so many club members there, it seemed like we were just out for a swim. But we were awfully close to one another? Hmmm…. When I saw the swim course I immediately thought, “That’s short.” But I was reassured by a lady that it was long enough because we did 2 laps. I again said, “Yes, I understand, but it’s short.” I have always found that whenever a course ‘looks’ long, it’s normally right on. When it seems right, it’s short. And when it looks short, it’s really short. Once again, I was reaffirmed.

My best impersonation of a monkey

The countdown started with a 1:30 warning…then 30 seconds…then 10…then we were off. The first turn buoy was a mere 50 yards out and it was a 90 degree turn. So getting there quickly was pretty important. I took off aggressively and was able to avoid congestion at the turn. I found some open water and was heading for the turn buoy. It came quickly (unsurprising). When I made the turn, I actually looked up and down the lake further thinking that there must be one more buoy…nope. So I headed back to complete lap one. I felt good on the swim and it was going by fast. After completing the 2nd lap, I was first out of the water heading to T2. My Helix came of flawlessly and my Rudy helmet was on and buckled. It was time to ride. As I left T1 I took a split and saw on my watch it said 16:XX. Sixteen minutes? Hmmm, I must have hit it in the swim. Nope, I later found out that I swam a 15:44. And no, I don’t swim that fast. It was actually supposed to be a mile swim too. Wouldn’t that be nice? I am sure everyone would like to have had the time they did AND have had the course be a 1mile swim. Buuut, it wasn’t.
The bike was disclosed as a 22 mile course. Great…not only was the swim short, but the bike too. Not exactly a course suited for my strengths. I wanted to start off on the bike and keep things steady. This was a rolling course with a pretty good headwind at this point. I was really doing my best to manage my watts and not get overzealous at the start. For whatever reason, the bike did not feel like it was clicking. I was moving along, but it seemed like I was having to work harder than it was showing. I hit the turnaround in 28 minutes and was headed back. Immediately after I started coming back, I could feel a nice tailwind. One of those tailwinds that finds you in your biggest gear and you still do not hear anything but the tires on the road. Though this feels good, it’s almost impossible to make time on people when everyone is going 35 mph. I saw second place and knew I had a pretty good gap. I kept it steady and forged on home. I made it back in 23 minutes. Tailwind? Maaaaybe. As in almost all triathlons, no one is really ready for the first bike. So I navigated my way around people in transition getting ready to start the sprint race and was in and out.
I wanted to settle in to a comfortable pace right away and avoid the discomfort I had at Onionman. Just keep it steady, comfortable, and smooth. Don’t run from people, run what you are capable of. Most of the run was along long open stretches of road that actually felt downhill, which made me think that it would be a little tougher coming back. I felt good and thought I would be at the turn at about 18:30 ish. When I hit 18 minutes, I could not even see the turn…19…19:30, finally, the turn. I rounded at 19:40. Seriously? What a blow. Here I thought I was running well? Heck with that, I knew I was running better than that. The course was long. Often I feel like the run course is long, but I know it isn’t. This time I knew it was long. Short swim, short bike, long run. This is just not my race. I took a split to see where 2nd was. After seeing him, I knew I just needed to maintain what I was doing. Don’t do anything crazy, just keep running. I started to see the onslaught of people and it looked like they were all flying. Again, ‘just keep doing what you have been doing, and you’ll be fine.’ I told Steve that the run is long when I saw him so that he would not think he was having a crappy run. It felt like the finish was coming quicker and quicker,,,that’s a new experience? I saw Jessi when I had about 1 mile to go and I could tell she was in a bit of a quandary. There were some gals in front of her running well that I knew she did not know if she should try to run with or not. I told her to stay within her race and to do ‘her’ thing. It’s hard to when you think the race is going away from you when often it’s just people being eager, and then it all comes back. It’s hard to separate the two. But I did not think it would be a good time to tell her that the run was long :) As I rolled into the final quarter mile, I zipped up my TIMEX suit and was excited to be done…I held on today. A very good feeling. I ran 19 minutes on the way back. Negative split the run. What next? Is Jessi pregnant? Is it going to snow race morning at IM Cda? (no, Jessi is not pregnant). Also, the run was 6.55miles too. Whew, I was not crazy. So though on paper this was not an “ideal” course for me, it turned out pretty well. I will say that the weather was VERY kind. Overcast, 63 degrees, a little rain… I must have been nice to someone.
Jessi had a great race too posting the highest watt output in an Oly race. She moves out quite nicely on the bike. Since we both love the rain, cool temps, and overcast, I don’t think it mattered what place either one of us got. It was just a good day. Now I will cheer on all my fellow Tri Fusion athletes, and Team TIMEX athletes, at IM Cda next weekend. What a long day that will be. I need a recovery week after cheering for people.

Hope all your races are going well and you are able to find moments that surprise you.

Race Report for Onionman

Since some of you have inquired, and it was all pretty much done anyway. So if you are at work, read on...

Onionman…I am starting to like this race. Though this did not end quite the same as it did last year, the feeling while there was the same. It was so great re-connecting with so many athletes that I have not seen all winter (The whole Gordon clan…including Kara, Jeff, David,…okay, I feel like I am just name dropping now), and some that I have not seen in a few years (Laura), and of course meeting many new people. This year the race seemed to draw groups from all over the PNW. Groups from Helena, Boise, Portland, Seattle, and of course, Spokane. On top of that, it drew a very competitive field. Four winners from prior years were all racing. How often does that ever happen at a race?

We arrived at the lake on Saturday at about 3:00. Just enough time to go for a swim. Fortunately the air was so dry that it was pretty easy to get on my wetsuit in the 85 degree weather. We (Tim, Steve, Jessi, and Tiffany) all headed down to the water to see just how cool/warm it was. After pissing off a few fisherpeople, we got in the water. It was amazing. But it might have had something to do with the air temp as well. We swam out a bit, floated, and swam back. As we were getting out it seemed like we were just ahead of everyone else getting into the lake for a swim. We all disrobed (love this part…not because of that, but I like taking off wetsuits. It’s like taking off ski boots at the end of a ski day) and got into our cycling gear. Shorts and short sleeved jerseys…man I love 80 degree weather! We headed out on the roads of Walla Walla passing vineyards and giant Ks in people’s front yards. Not too sure what that was, but it was big. I really like this countryside and can see why people live here. I am not one that normally comments on the bike course, but this one is pretty nice. After Steve fixed his bike in the middle of the ride, we headed back. He was having trouble with his shifting and had to move it from SIS to friction. Ahhh…I remember the days of friction. When there was a true art to shifting. None of this click and go. You had to know exactly where to move that lever. Ten gears? Not even close…six is all you got, and that seemed like a lot. A small chainring was a 42. And if you ever rode with a 25 in the back meant that you were off the back. My how things have changed. Off topic? Ya maybe. But the Giro is on and the wheels are coming off in that race right now. This year’s Tour de France is going to be epic. Now I am off topic. Back to the ride. After we got back we went for a short run out on the course. Last year it was raining and very wet so the trail was mud. This year it was dry and dusty. Already I knew this race would look play out differently from last year. Steve and I ran out about 1 mile and then headed back. Always nice to see what the course looks like at the end…but obviously it feels way better when running it with a friend chit chatting. A little foreshadowing of what is not to come? After mixing with the locals that had obviously been in the sun too long and were a good ½ rack over limit, we pressed on to registration.

Unlike at the lake, we found that everyone thought it would be a good idea to register at the same time we did. But it was fun seeing many familiar faces. Not to mention that it was a Trek dealership, so I felt at home with my peeps. Since I won this race last year, I would be donning the ‘stripe.’ The number one. Otherwise known as the target. It’s a nice memento from last year, but also somewhat of a noose. Most people would not think anything of it. Probably just think that I registered early. But those that will be in the top 10 know exactly what that means.

It was now time for dinner. It was a bit early, but after the short swim/bike/run, I was a bit in the mood. As was everyone else. We hit our secret place that gives us all energy (if you don’t tell anyone, I will tell you. But anyone who knows me knows exactly where we went) and then were off to our hotel. A few other Tri Fusion members were staying at our hotel. Dave “The voice of KXLY News 4” Erickson, Josh “Hoshberry” Hadway, and Matt “Ya, I am allergic to that too” Cusak. No matter where you are, or what race you are at, it’s always nice to see people you know. Just brings everything down a notch. We all settled into our rooms, placed our numbers on our gear, got breakfast out for the following morning, and went to bed. I woke up 5 times to go to the bathroom, but other than that, uneventful.

The 5:45am bell rang and we were up and rolling. I had the so uncommon breakfast of oatmeal and a banana. Not that it’s magical, but simple and easy to reproduce in almost all situations. I was not feeling all that hungry and did not eat all of it, but we wanted to get to the course by 7:00am to get a good position in the transition area since the race started at 9:00am.

When we got to the race site, we saw that the racks were numbered, so the need to get there early was irrelevant. But we all got good spots on our racks, so that’s good. I have to say that my spot was not the best, but it is what and you make due. As Emma would say, “You get what you get and you don’t throw a fit.” I got my area set up pretty quickly trying not to talk with too many people that seems to always happen then I am scrambling. Once set up, I went for a run on the same route I did yesterday. Afterwards, I went and laid in the Excursion and almost fell asleep. My heart rate was a tad high, but I was trying to relax. 30 minutes passed, and it was time for the pre race meeting and time for me to get into my B70 wetsuit. After the meeting I headed to the water. It was a beautiful morning and the sun was out. It did not feel too hot because the wind was blowing pretty good. So good, I was a little concerned about riding a disc and a deep sectioned front wheel. But nothing to do about it now. I got in the water and swam a bit to get loosened up and get some water in my suit, and then it was back to get a spot on the line. As I stood there, some familiar faces appeared. Michael G., Ben G., Josh H., Tiffany, Jessi, and a slug of others. This wasn’t a race, it was a party. Then there was the call for 1 minute to go. Party over. The gun went off and so did everyone else. Actually, I don’t know if it was a gun. Probably an airhorn. Or maybe someone just pushed me? I really don’t remember. I went out strong and felt people across the backs of my legs trying to get behind me. Not a big deal, but I continued on. I had a high turnover and was going well. I started to settle in after a bit and really found my stroke. This is when I expected to feel hands touching my feet, or people going around me… no takers. So I pressed on feeling pretty good. As I rounded the first buoy, I was able to look back a tad and saw that there were people close by. But we had only gone 200 meters. Throughout the whole swim I could hear my swim coach Kevin giving me all kinds of feedback on my stroke. So I listened. Funny thing is, I remember doing the same thing last year too. I really don’t mind leading. As a matter of fact, I would rather lead than follow in the swim. I swim straighter and smoother. After lap 1 of the 2 lap swim, I was still feeling good and sighting was no problem. I made the final turn for home and was already thinking about the bike. I did not know if there was someone close behind me and ready to come around, or if I had a gap. As I exited the swim, I could see that I had a bit of a gap. Later to find out it was 20 seconds over Jeff Smith…just like last year. Except last year I think the gap was a little larger.

With about a 20 second lead on elite triathlete Jeff Smith, who is pretty solid on the bike too, I took off pretty hard. Pushing some pretty high watts…higher than I wanted to, but I also wanted to get the heck out of there and the first 2 miles was pretty technical with twists, turns, speed bumps, etc. Once out on the road, I tried to settle in knowing that I would need to work a bit harder on the way out. I brought about 24 oz of fluids with me as well as 2 gels PowerGels. It was warm and I knew I would need t stay on top of my hydration for the run. I ended up getting passed by a team rider but that was all I saw going out. I made the turn, took a split, and started heading back. This is where you start to see if your hard work has paid off. I realized that I was over 30 seconds up on Jeff after the turn, so I knew I was putting time into him. But when you don’t know what the other peoples’ swim times are, you really don’t know if you are putting time into them, or if they are closing on you because of a horrible swim. It did not matter, I was still going hard. I took a gel right after the turn and was heading for home. Unlike last year, there was a headwind coming back. Crap! It was a steady downhill for the most part, but there was a cross/headwind to fight as well. Now I look at this 2 ways really. One is that you will need to stay on top of your power output on the way back, and two, aerodynamics will play a larger role. Both of which I was happy with, but I also did not plan on having to work as hard on the way back. I was moving quite well, and staying on top of my hydration. With about 4 miles to go, I could feel my power get a little erratic. Not bad, but I felt like I was having to work harder to maintain a steady effort. I was not too sure if it was because of the winds, or because of me. So it was hard to tell if I was suffering or not. Regardless, I was getting a little nervous and wanted this bike to get over. I was out of fluids with about 2 miles to go and I had just enough to chase down the last gel. The last couple miles have a few turns, so it allowed me to rest the legs a bit. I rolled into T2 and had a smooth transition. This time I also took a flask of water with me…should have had a canteen. I knew that the run was going to be hot and dry and I thought that in the first few minutes I could either dump it on me, or drink it. I did both and was glad I did.

Nice to have a nice clear transition to work with

The first mile of the run is a gradual uphill on a dirt trail. It’s not really fast, but I felt like I was moving right along. My first mile clocked in pretty solid. I was still feeling good at mile 2 and running well. I kept plodding along feeling okay. When I hit the turn, I was happy with where I was and figured I just needed to maintain and I “should” be good. I took a split to see what kind of gap I had on the rest of the field. I eventually saw Michael Gordon flying along and saw that I had about a 2:30 gap on him. Seemed pretty safe to me. Michael runs well, but not 5 minute miles, at least not yet. I still felt good until I was between mile 4-5. Things started to sputter a bit. When I hit mile 5, the wheels came off. I could not tell if I was over heating, or just out of energy, but the engine was shutting down. I kept reminding myself that I only had 1 mile to go and much of it was downhill... after a short uphill. At this point I had a good feeling that Michael would catch me…even with 1 mile to go. Fortunately he caught me with about ¾ of a mile to go, rather than with 400 meters (whatever that means). By the way, Michael had the fastest run of the day with a 34:39. I was struggling to get back. It felt like the last miles in an Ironman. Where you are just getting one foot in front of the other. I knew 3rd was another 3 minutes back, so I was not overly concerned unless I passed out. As I ran past the post race bar-b-que, I was looking to see if the food was put out yet because I was going to go straight to it. I eventually got across the line…I think I actually walked across. I was absolutely starving! At the finish line I ate about 6 oranges, 4 bananas, 3 fist full of pretzels and some fluids. I started to feel a lot better. But when I crossed that line, it was tough. Felt like the Cda Oly race where I was so dehydrated. But this time I was not craving fluids, I was starving. So it might have been a combination of the two, don’t know. When I got home later that day (6 hrs later) I weighed myself and was about 1 pound lighter than I should be. So not a huge variance, but low. That was after drinking quite a bit and eating as well. So I may have been a bit dehydrated as well. Don’t know. My total run time was about 3 minutes slower than last year and I would think the course was faster.

So I ended up in 2nd place by about 1 minute. If I would have ran what I normally have in years past, I would have held on. But that’s the way it works out sometimes. Michael ran a great race and put it all together for a win. Like I have said before, and even last year at this race, I never have any regrets losing races to good people/athletes. Losing to Michael was good loss.

I also wanted to recognize Jessi’s great race too. She dropped time in almost every area. She is really starting to figure all this stuff out and maximizing what she can do on any given day. I always admire her bike splits because I know it is an area that she really enjoys. But she is racing really smart too. Her race report is up on her blog too.

Also congrats to all the Tri Fusion members down there. We had 3 in the top 10. I think that’s pretty good.

Onionman 2009

Onionman 2009 is in the history books. It was much anticipated race with the field that was scheduled to be there. There were 4 people there that had won the race before, so I was excited to see how it would all shake out. Last year I won this race, but I was also coming off a build to ITU World Championships and it was my 3rd Olympic race of the season. So I had a pretty good idea where I was. This year, not so much. I was set to race Wildflower in early May, but caught the flu a few days prior and canceled my trip to Wildflower…major disappointment. So after recovering from that, I was able to get healthy for Onionman. It would be an honest test to see where I was, or was not. Not only with the athletes assembled there, but from what I had done the prior year.

Rather than bore you all with the detailed version of my trip down there, what I ate, how many steps I took to T1, I thought I would share some things that I observed, and learned, at this race. Since this is the first major race of the season for this area, it’s the first time that we all get together. Along with this, we all get to hear what everyone has been up to. This normally starts off with some variation of, “I really have not been training all that much,” or, “I have been sick the past 6 months,” or, “I had a heart and lung transplant last week, so I am not too sure how I will do.” I like to think this is all code for, “I have been training my ass off,” or, “my doctor has put me on some meds that would make Lance Armstrong look like a club cyclist,” or, “I have this new PT and massage therapist that has worked wonders on my body.” We all probably do this, just some more than others. I wonder if athletes in all sports do this? Does Tiger Woods walk up to his competition and say, “My swing is quite a bit weaker this year…I will be lucky to get 200 yards out of my drive. I just hope to stay on the PGA this year.” Does Michael Phelps say, “I have not been swimming much. I just hope not to get lapped in the 50.” My guess is we all question what kind of condition we are in as we start the season, and this is just our way of externalizing it. So the next time you walk through a transition area, listen to the conversations going on. Most of them revolve around personal disclaimers. Unfortunately for all of us, they never show up on the results. When you see the results, that asterisk next to your time is not an indicator that you were “training through this race.” It indicates that you got a 2 minute penalty for drafting.

Onionman 2009 was a great race, but I have not been running as much as I should have, and my allergies were kind of acting up a bit, not to mention that I did not get as much sleep the night before because my stomach was upset from eating some food that was undercooked from a party that I was required to be at a couple days prior that I ended up twisting my ankle at after jumping out of a tree after rescuing a rabid cat that ended up biting me. Did I mention that I might have Swine Flu?

Rule 76: No excuses, play like a champion.